Kristen Shannon

Kristen works to strengthen students’ global and cultural competencies by overseeing the NEA Foundation’s global programs. She is the program manager of the Global Learning Fellowship - a year-long professional development program designed for American public school k-12 teachers to develop the knowledge and skills to integrate global competency into their daily classroom instruction to help prepare students for 21st century global citizenship.

An alumna of American University, she completed her BA in international studies with foci in international development, public administration, and policy. Kristen also studied community development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. She is passionate about seeking out ways to bridge the divide between local and international concerns through progressive approaches to education.

Before joining the Foundation, Kristen worked for a variety of State-Department accredited student and teacher exchange programs, including the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program and the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program.